UKTV Play expands reach with Freeview Play launch

6 April 2016

UKTV today announced it is further expanding the reach of its award-nominated on demand service, UKTV Play, by making it available on Freeview Play.

Freeview Play, which launched in October, is a subscription-free service which combines catch up, on demand services and live television, and is available via TVs and set-top boxes.

The UKTV Play app will arrive on Freeview Play devices automatically when it launches later in Q2, and offers catch up and on demand access to programmes from UKTV's popular free-to-air channels Dave, Yesterday, Really and Drama. The app boasts an array of features including UKTV Play-exclusive previews of brand new series, and 'My List', allowing users to create their own bespoke collection. Viewers also have the benefit of selecting shows to catch up on by scrolling backwards in the EPG.

Users of the service will be able to watch popular UKTV Originals David Gorman Modern Life is Goodish, Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled and Storage Hunters UK. For ease, UKTV has also handpicked collections of programmes, organised by themes and moods; and viewers' favourite TV stars offer their viewing recommendations via celebrity picks. Users can also view their history and enjoy the handy 'resume' playback function.

UKTV Play general manager, Emma Boston, said, "

We're committed to building a world-class on demand service and making it available to as many people as possible, so it's really exciting to be announcing another big platform launch for UKTV Play. Freeview Play users will have access to a slate of incredible shows coming to the service this year, including Dave's brand new and exclusive Red Dwarf.

Freeview Managing Director, Guy North said,

Since launching Freeview Play last year the service has continued to grow with more broadcasters and manufacturers coming on board. It's fantastic to be adding UKTV Play to our offering and means we're bringing viewers even more of the very best television whenever they want it without paying for a subscription.

UKTV is the biggest multichannel broadcaster in Britain, home to 10 linear channels including the two biggest non-PSB channels in the UK, Dave and Drama. UKTV launched its VOD service, UKTV Play, in summer 2014 and has rapidly rolled it out across multiple devices and platforms. Freeview Play joins Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, YouView, Virgin TV and BT TV in offering the on demand service, which is also available on iOS, Android and PC.

UKTV's end-of-year figures showed UKTV Play views were up 26% for 2015 vs 2014. Brand new episodes of popular US comedies Suits and The Last Man on Earth, plus user favourites Alan Davies As Yet Untitled, Sin City Motors, The Bill, The Ghost Inside My Child and Deadline Gallipoli have all driven UKTV Play's recent success.

About UKTV Play

UKTV Play is the on demand TV service that lets you watch shows from Dave, Yesterday, Really and Drama whether you're on the bus, at work (we won't tell) or on the sofa. Among the gems on offer are Storage Hunters, Suits, Crackanory, Dave Gorman Modern Life is Goodish, Taskmaster, Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled, Ghost Adventures, Most Haunted and Forbidden History, so it's never been easier to fill your boots with great stuff from UKTV. You can get UKTV Play on PC and Mac and there's also an app for iPhone and iPad. Or you can put your feet up and watch on the telly, thanks to Virgin TV, YouView, Freeview Play, Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick. If you're an M+ subscriber on Virgin Media or BT TV customer, shows from other great UKTV channels - Gold, Watch, Alibi, Good Food, Home and Eden - are on the menu as well.

About UKTV

UKTV is the biggest multichannel broadcaster in the UK.

The award-winning independent has eleven imaginative brands - UKTV Play, Dave, W, Gold, Alibi, Yesterday, Drama, Really, Home, Eden and Good Food. These include the two most popular non-PSB channels in the UK and account for 9.31% of the British commercial TV market.

The company's most recent financial results showed record-breaking year-end revenue of £283m and EBITDA of £74.1m. It invested £123m in programming and related launches last year, and is becoming an increasingly significant investor in UK creativity.

UKTV has a truly innovative model, curating brand-defining commissions, high-profile acquisitions and the very best of BBC, alongside programmes originally shown on ITV and Channel 4. The network embraces technology to deliver inspired channels to audiences through Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, BT, TalkTalk, YouView, Freesat, Amazon Fire and UKTV Play, and distributes its highly valued original programmes to 200 territories.

Now celebrating its 22nd year at the forefront of digital television, UKTV - an independent commercial joint venture between BBC Worldwide and Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. (SNI) - is proud to be the only British television broadcaster to be recognised by Best Companies.

Launched in 2002, Freeview is a subscription-free TV service providing over 60 TV channels, up to 12 HD channels and over 25 radio stations. The service is delivered through the aerial and is subscription-free.

Freeview is managed by DTV Services Ltd, a company owned and run by its five shareholders: BBC, Sky, Channel 4, ITV and Arqiva.

Last year Freeview launched Freeview Play, combining catch-up TV, on demand services and live television from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and UKTV. The service is free from subscription and works with all existing broadband services. Freeview Play is currently available on Panasonic and Humax devices with LG, Manhattan, Vestel and further manufacturers to launch this year.